Coronary sinus catheter system and method

Abstract

A coronary sinus catheter includes a pacing lead adapted for placement in a vein on the left ventricle of a heart having a right atrium and a coronary sinus. An outer member of the coronary sinus catheter has a distal end portion capable of having a curve formed remotely therein. The outer member is sized to be disposed in at least one chamber of said heart. An inner catheter has a passage therein for containing at least a portion of the pacing lead for placement thereof. The inner catheter has a distal end portion capable of having a curve formed therein. The distal end portions of the outer member and the inner catheter are disposable with respect to each other so that the distal end portions interact to allow cannulation of the coronary sinus irrespective of the orientation of the coronary sinus with respect to the right atrium of the heart.

1 . A coronary sinus catheter comprising: 
 a pacing lead adapted for placement in a vein on the left ventricle of a heart having a right atrium and a coronary sinus;    an outer member having a distal end portion capable of having a curve formed therein which defines a plane, said outer member having means for forming said curve in the outer member remotely, said outer member being sized to be disposed in at least one chamber of said mammalian heart;    an inner catheter having a passage therein for containing at least a portion of the pacing lead for placement thereof, said inner catheter having a distal end portion capable of having a curve formed therein which defines a plane;    said distal end portions of the outer member and the inner catheter being disposable with respect to each other so that the distal end portions interact to allow cannulation of the coronary sinus irrespective of the orientation of the coronary sinus with respect to the right atrium of the heart.    
     
     
         2 . The coronary sinus catheter as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the outer member and inner catheter are adapted to interact to form an up-going shape to cannulate the coronary sinus, said outer member and inner catheter being imagable to disclose said shape to a human operator of the coronary sinus catheter.  
     
     
         3 . The coronary sinus catheter as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the outer member and inner catheter are adapted to interact to form a down-going shape to cannulate the coronary sinus, said outer member and inner catheter being imagable to disclose said shape to a human operator of the coronary sinus catheter.  
     
     
         4 . The coronary sinus catheter as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the outer member and inner catheter are adapted to interact to form an out-of-plane shape to cannulate the coronary sinus, said outer member and inner catheter being imagable to disclose said shape to a human operator of the coronary sinus catheter.  
     
     
         5 . The coronary sinus catheter as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the outer member and inner catheter are adapted to interact to place the distal end of the inner catheter in said coronary sinus.  
     
     
         6 . The coronary sinus catheter as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the outer member is adapted to form a stable platform for said coronary sinus catheter by forming a shape conforming with the internal anatomy of the right atrium.  
     
     
         7 . The coronary sinus catheter as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the outer member and inner catheter are adjustable to provide a second shape for accessing a branch vein from the coronary sinus irrespective of the orientation of the branch vein with respect to the coronary sinus.  
     
     
         8 . A method of cannulating a coronary sinus of a heart, said mammalian heart having a right atrium, comprising the steps of: 
 placing an outer member having a distal end portion capable of having a curve formed therein in the right atrium of the heart, said outer member having means for forming said curve in the outer member remotely, said means being disposed at the proximal end of said catheter, said outer member being sized to be disposed in said right atrium;    placing an inner catheter in said outer member, said inner catheter having a distal end portion capable of having a curve formed therein;    disposing the distal end portions of the outer member and the inner catheter with respect to each other so that the distal end portions interact to allow cannulation of the coronary sinus irrespective of the orientation of the coronary sinus with respect to the right atrium of the heart.    
     
     
         9 . The method as set forth in  claim 8  wherein the distal end portions of the outer member and inner catheter interact to form an up-going shape to cannulate the coronary sinus, said outer member and inner catheter being imagable to disclose said shape to a human operator of the coronary sinus catheter.  
     
     
         10 . The method as set forth in  claim 8  wherein the distal end portions of the outer member and inner catheter interact to form a down-going shape to cannulate the coronary sinus, said outer member and inner catheter being imagable to disclose said shape to a human operator of the coronary sinus catheter.  
     
     
         11 . The method as set forth in  claim 8  wherein the distal end portions of the outer member and inner catheter interact to form an out-of-plane shape to cannulate the coronary sinus, said outer member and inner catheter being imagable to disclose said shape to a human operator of the coronary sinus catheter.  
     
     
         12 . The method as set forth in  claim 8  wherein the distal end portions of the outer member and inner catheter interact to place the distal end of the inner catheter in said coronary sinus.  
     
     
         13 . The method as set forth in  claim 8  wherein the outer member forms a stable platform for said coronary sinus catheter by forming a shape conforming with the internal anatomy of the right atrium.  
     
     
         14 . The method as set forth in  claim 8  wherein the outer member and inner catheter are adjusted to provide a second shape for accessing a branch vein from the coronary sinus irrespective of the orientation of the branch vein with respect to the coronary sinus.